


Sandwhich: A Love Story

by saint_vee (corbae)



Category: Bandom, Panic At The Disco
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-13
Updated: 2011-01-13
Packaged: 2017-11-03 15:02:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/382667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corbae/pseuds/saint_vee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Spencer Smith visited Sandwhich Brendon didn't notice him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sandwhich: A Love Story

**Author's Note:**

> Written for no_tags prompt 17, one of them famous and the other not. Sandwhich is a real place. I've shamelessly stolen their name.

The first time Spencer Smith visited Sandwhich Brendon didn't notice him.

***

The second time Spencer Smith visited Sandwhich Brendon was too busy with his section to give him the attention he deserved. That didn't stop him from talking about it with Keltie for a full hour once the lunch rush eased. They only stopped then because Keltie's shift was over and she had to get to an audition on the other side of town.

"If he keeps coming around you should invite him to that thing at the Cave," she said.

"He's eaten here twice. We don't _actually_ know him, and it would be kind of rude and weird to invite him to anything. Including the show at the Cave. _Especially_ the show at the Cave, because then I'd seem like a groupie or an opportunist or whatever," Brendon said.

"Sometimes you just have to go for things, Brendon," Keltie said. "See you Wednesday?"

"Yeah, Wednesday."

***

Spencer Smith was the most sought-after producer in rock music. Everything he touched turned to gold. The Top Ten list for the rock charts was full of songs he'd produced. Brendon thought he was amazing--you could hear Spencer in all of those albums, but he didn't drown out the bands or force everything to sound the same. It didn't hurt that he officially qualified for the _Smokin' Hot Guys Brendon and Keltie Would Totally Do_ list. If Brendon could smile like that he'd be drowning in tips at work, and he was pretty sure Spencer used the blood of virgins to get his hair that shiny.

***

Brendon was working swing shift on Wednesday. He'd just gotten back from his lunch break when Marie waved him over to the hostess stand.

"Brendon! Have you been keeping a new boyfriend from us? There's a super attractive guy who requested you by name. When I said you weren't back yet he decided to wait. See? That's him over by the bar," she said.

"Boyfriend? No, I--" Brendon started to say as he turned to look at the bar. He couldn't remember how he was going to finish that sentence. Spencer Smith was at the bar. He was the _only_ person at the bar. "How does he know my name?" Brendon asked.

"Wait, you don't know him?" Marie asked.

"Marie, that's Spencer Smith. The Spencer Smith? Famous producer?"

She shrugged. "Never heard of him. You're OK with taking the table, right? He was pretty insistent."

Brendon swallowed, trying to moisten his suddenly dry mouth. "Uh, yeah. That's fine," he said.

***

It turned out that Spencer was there with a friend. Spencer was easy to wait on--he wasn't in a hurry, wasn't picky about his food, smiled at everything Brendon said. His friend didn't smile at all. Brendon started to worry that he'd offended him somehow, or that the food was wrong. When he walked by the table and the friend was gone, he seized the chance to check in.

"Hey, how's everything here? Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"No, we're great. Maybe some dessert once Ryan gets back," Spencer said.

"Did he enjoy everything? I've seen you here before, but not with him," Brendon said.

"Ryan? I'm pretty sure he loved it. He can be hard to read, but he would have said something if he hated it," Spencer said. "I don't think I've introduced myself--I'm Spencer. Spencer Smith."

Brendon almost offered his hand before he realized Spencer was just smiling at him. OK, no hand shake. He waved instead, and immediately died inside. "Hey! I'm Brendon, as you know. Brendon Urie. And I, uh, recognized you earlier. I love the work you've done," he said.

They now technically knew each other. Brendon could hear Keltie cheering him on in his head.

"Actually, and sorry if this is super rude or presumptious, but Leaves on Trees has a show Friday night at the Cave and--" Brendon said.

"I'd love to go! But I already have plans." Brendon tried to keep smiling. "Why don't we get dinner Saturday instead? I mean, if you're free," Spencer said.

"Uh, OK," Brendon said.

"Great! Here, give me your phone number and I'll call you tonight to work out the details," Spencer said.

Brendon numbly rattled off his phone number. He was nearly positive Spencer had just asked him on a date. That couldn't be right.

He brought Spencer's check out in a daze when Ryan got back to the table and they decided they didn't want dessert after all. Spencer thanked him and turned to wave at the door when the left. Brendon lifted his hand in reply. As soon as they were out of eyesight he went to find Keltie.

***

"Yeah, sounds like a date," Keltie said as she refilled the salt shakers in her section. "Congratulations! You'll be the first to actually fuck a guy on the list."

Brendon sputtered and waved his arms incoherently until he got over _that_ mental image enough to reply. "I was just being an opportunistic groupie! I didn't mean to ask him out!" he said.

"Do you not want to go out with him? Because you probably should have told him that earlier," she said.

"No! No, it's not that. But now I can't mention my songs to him without sounding like an asshole," Brendon said, knowing that he was whining and hating it.

"Brendon, just go on the date. He could turn out to be a jerk, and then all your problems would be solved. If he's as amazing as he looks we'll figure it out--later."

"Fine. Will you at least help me figure out what to wear?"

"Of course I will," Keltie said.

***

Spencer didn't call that night.

***

Brendon had Thursday off. He used it to start writing a song about assholes who don't call even though they said they would. He thought he'd debut it Friday. It didn't fit the rest of his set or Leaves on Trees' audience, but he didn't really care. He was the opener. No one would really be listening.

When Dallon and Shane asked him to go see _Back to the Future_ at the Rialto that night he quickly accepted. He needed to get out of his apartment.

He only hesitated for a second before putting his phone on silent.

 _If he hasn't called yet he won't_ , he told himself, and stabbed at the button.

***

_Hey Brendon, it's Spencer. Smith. From the other day. Uh, sorry to be calling a day late, I was working on something in the studio and lost track of time and then it was, like, three in the morning and I couldn't call. Anyway. It turns out the band Ryan and I had plans to see on Friday is the same band you invited me to see, so if you're still going we should meet up! I guess I'll call back later to figure out Saturday? Or we could just talk about it at the show. Call me if you'll be there, I guess. You can reach me at this number, I pretty much always have my phone on._

***

Brendon worked the lunch shift on Friday because he had to be at the venue by 4 to set up. Keltie was working dinner, so he didn't have to see her told-you-so face.

On his break he added a particularly scathing verse to his new song. Marie thought it was awesome. It was definitely going on his next EP.

When the end of his shift finally came at 2PM he raced back to his apartment to grab his stuff. He wanted as much time to rehearse before the show as possible.

***

Brendon stared at the crowd from his seat at the bar. The bartender ambled over with his drink.

"Nervous?" he asked.

Brendon shrugged. "Not really. Just...surprised, I guess. It's a lot more people than I normally play for."

"That's a good thing. Means your name's getting out there. The boss says you're on in five, by the way," he said, and went to help the next customer. Brendon grabbed his drink and went to get his guitar.

***

Brendon saved his new song for last. After he finished playing he had to wait for the crowd to settle down so he could give his end-of-set spiel. It took longer than it normally did.

"Thanks, everyone! It's been great to hang out with you tonight. Once again, I'm Brendon Urie. Next up is Leaves on Trees," he said, and stopped while they cheered. "I'll be at the bar if anyone wants to chat or pick up a CD. Enjoy the rest of the show!"

The house lights came back up and he started to pack his things away. It didn't take long. Once he'd loaded everything into his car he headed back to the bar.

Brendon had just ordered a drink when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He turned around with a smile, expecting a fan.

It was Ryan, and he was with Spencer. Brendon's smile disappeared.

"Good show," Ryan said with a slight nod. It sounded like he was ordering a hit.

"Thanks?" Brendon said. "What are you doing here?" he asked Spencer. "I thought you had plans."

Spencer smiled. It looked painful. "So I guess that answers my question about whether you got my message."

"What message?" he asked. "I've had my phone with me all day, you never--" Brendon remembered silencing his phone for the movie and stopped mid-sentence. "Oh. My phone was off."

"I had promised to see a show with Ryan, and I didn't realize it was the same show until last night. I did call, though," Spencer said. His smile had relaxed and he just looked amused. Brendon, meanwhile, sort of wanted to melt into the ground.

"I guess you caught my set?" he asked, still hoping the answer was no.

"Yeah, you were great. Especially that last song," Spencer said.

Brendon's face was on fire. "I'm sorry, I really thought you hadn't called," he said.

"Hey, it's cool. I understand the sentiment. Anyway, it's sort of reassuring that you actually cared. When you walked on stage I realized you probably didn't mean to ask me on a date at all."

"Well. No. Not at first, not exactly. But I would love to go on a date with you! And not just because you're a producer, I swear. You're on the Smokin' Hot list!" Brendon said. Then he played it back in his head and wanted to hide. "Um. I mean," he started, but stalled out. There was really no way to fix that statement.

He dared a glance up. Spencer was grinning. "Brendon Urie, I would love to go on a date with you. Why don't I pick you up tomorrow at 6, and we'll go someplace nice that doesn't serve sandwiches?"

Brendon smiled despite himself. "That sounds great," he said.

"And over dinner we can talk about getting you into a studio, and, if you're a gentleman, I'll take you back to my place afterward," Spencer said.

"I like this plan," Brendon said.

***

Sunday morning, Brendon woke up warm, half-covered by Spencer.

Keltie was right. Sometimes you just had to go for it.

_end_


End file.
